


LARRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT

by nerdinacrown



Category: One Direction (Band)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-22
Updated: 2016-09-22
Packaged: 2018-08-16 15:58:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8108566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdinacrown/pseuds/nerdinacrown
Summary: buncha 1d/related xmas one shots lol not tagged bc im LAZYprompts in bold





	

**you slipped on a patch of ice and I happened to be walking behind you and you fell into my arms wow you’re really attractive au:**

 

**_Which of these South American countries has a population exceeding 4 million?_ **

 

 _‘How am I supposed to know that?’_ Liam thinks to himself as he trudges across the iced-over campus, trying to keep his face down from the cold. He has no idea how Niall convinced him that Trivia Crack was an app he should use, but now he's freezing _and_ frustrated from choosing the wrong answer. With a huff he shoves his phone back into his pocket and speeds up his walk toward home. He'll have to respond to more questions he doesn't know the answer to in the form of homework, but at least he can warm up with a cup of tea and the small fireplace in his flat.

 

Liam is daydreaming about which kind of tea he'll brew when he takes a too hurried step onto a slick patch of ice and his life flashes before his eyes. He feels like he's falling in slow motion, he knows the inevitable pain that awaits him and it's as if his brain is slowing down time before he has to experience it. It's almost doing too good of a job because he still feels suspended mid-fall and-

 

_Oh._

 

Liam slowly turns his head around and figures, well hopes, he's already dead because this is definitely an angel that's holding him by under his arms. He probably is being hauled up to heaven. He probably should say that he wants to spend forever gazing on this complete stranger's absolute beauty. He probably should stand up and properly thank his rescuer but all he can manage is a small, "Oh. Hi."

 

His angelic savior's full lips part in a hearty laugh. It sounds like Christmas bells and warmth, and he wants to hear it forever, and maybe Liam actually fell and hit his head and she's only helping him stand up because ‘ _Why do I keep thinking things like that?’_.

 

"Hello yourself," she replies, smirking a little before adding, "uh, as fun as this is, balancing just me on these heels is enough trouble already."

 

"Oh right, of course," Liam says, righting himself as his cheeks turn red from the cold and embarrassment. "'m Liam. Umm thanks for saving my ass. Literally."

 

"Sophia," she says, laughing again, and Liam is going to fall over once more because of how much he loves that sound.

 

"Thanks, _Sophia,"_ Liam tries again, surprised by the way his heart jumps when he says her name.

 

"You're welcome, Liam," Sophia replies, pink kissing her cheeks in the best way. "But you know,” she continues, “I did practically save your life. The least you could do is get a coffee with me."

 

His mind wanders back to tea and homework and decides that Starbucks and a chance with the most beautiful girl he's seen is far superior.

 

~*~

 

Years later, it still brings them a laugh when people ask how they met and Liam responds with, "We were walking across campus and I couldn't help but fall for her.”

 

**you need to stop your drunken caroling outside of my window at 2 am au**

Louis pulls his eyes away from the ceiling to squint at his clock in the dark. **3:21 AM**. 3:21 in the morning of Christmas Eve and Harry is drunkenly caroling outside his house. He’s been there for nearly an hour and a half, his voice getting more gravelly and his words slurring worse and worse as he sings and drinks. Louis knows he’s probably freezing and could get arrested for public intoxication, but he steadfastly ignores him- he’s been doing it for so _so_ long now, why should he stop?

 

Harry has sung the gamut of carols Louis knows and then some. “OOOoooohhHHHhhhHHhhhh tie-ings of comffff and joyyyyyyyy,” he trails off, ending a rendition of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen for the second time that night. He’s quiet for a long moment, and Louis crosses his fingers hoping that he has finally given up for the night and is not just tossing back some of the whisky in the bottle of Jack he was sloshing around earlier.

 

It seems like Louis is out of luck.

 

“Alabmmm, Arinsaw, I do luh my ma pa, not the uh I do love you,” Harry starts up, apparently having given up on actual caroling, and going with drunken serenading instead. Louis’ heart jumps into his throat when he figures out what Harry is attempting to sing to him. He put a strict do-not-listen policy on that song what feels like forever ago and hasn’t heard it since. Not since loving too hard, too fast, too many years ago. Not since the sudden growing apart that made his guts burn and left his heart scarred. Not since he put Winterson, Wakefield, Siken, and even Kerouac up over where he had the lyrics pinned up- never actually taking them down- because sometimes life is one big, cruel, fucking metaphor.

 

It seems like time passes slower than usual, and he swears he does not breathe as he waits for Harry to finish the song. There’s another long pause, this one longer than the last and Louis is beginning to think that he’s for sure gone home this time. He slides out of bed and creeps over to the window, trying to keep as much of the blinds still as he can as he peeks out to see if Harry really has left. Instead, he sees Harry sitting cross-legged in the snow, Jack Daniels bottle discarded on the ground next to him, and an open bottle of vodka sat in his lap. Louis can’t tell from where he’s peering out, but he thinks Harry is crying. He lets out a strangled half groan half screech and throws himself back onto the bed.

 

A few more minutes go by when he hears a shout.

 

“I know you can heaaaaar meeeeee, Louuuuu! But you gotta lissssssen!”

 

Even when overwhelmingly drunk, Harry could talk some meta-typical bullshit.

 

Harry clears his throat with impressive volume and strikes up another non-carol. This time it’s Happy Birthday. Louis presses his fingers into his ears and curls up on the bed and does not, absolutely does not let it affect him.

 

“HAAAAAAAPY BIRDDY, DEAAARRRR BOOOOBEAR,” Harry yells out and that’s the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Louis leaps out of the bed and throws on the first items of clothing he can find to protect himself from the cold. By the time he’s dressed and stomping down the stairs, Harry has begun to sing One by Ed Sheeran and Louis does not remember asking to be on the verge of tears for his birthday or Christmas.

 

When he swings the front door open, a blast of cold wind greets him and it just deepens his scowl. “WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING THEN?” Louis bursts in Harry’s face, snatching the vodka from his grip and tossing it to the ground. Harry finally stops singing then and just stares at Louis for a long time. Silent tears roll down his face as he just looks at Louis like he can’t believe he’s actually there. Louis isn’t sure how long they stand there just looking at each other, but it’s long enough that his fingers are going numb and he’s about to call a cab to shove Harry into when Harry finally speaks up.

 

“I love you. Lou, please…”

 

It’s said surprisingly clear and it really doesn’t explain his behavior but it’s the only answer Harry offers. Louis blinks at him a few times before nodding. He doesn’t know what he’s nodding to really, but it feels like the right thing to do. Harry takes the opportunity to grab him by the face and kiss him full on the mouth. He tastes like every kind of liquor and fruit juice and it’s awful but Louis kisses him back with just as much fervor. After a few minutes or maybe a lifetime Louis pulls back, gasping for air. His brain has seemed to blow a circuit and he can’t do anything but stare at Harry for a moment before grabbing his hand and dragging him inside, up the stairs and into the bed with him.

 

And if he ignores what happens by being gone on the train to Doncaster by the time Harry wakes up, well he’s been doing it for so _so_ long now, why should he stop?

 

**Endnote: LMAO REMEMBER WHEN I ASKED YOU ABOUT SAD FIC FOR CHRISTMAS FOR ****? I LIED! IT WAS FOR YOU! Your fave is problematic: me- lies and makes you sad on Christmas lmao. I hope this was the right amount of angst instead of depressing for you. (though you’ve got to admit Halo is just a synonym of agony really) ((this is a funny endnote so i deleted the others but kept this one)) (((all of these were written as a gift to a friend btw)))**

**we both wore ugly Christmas sweaters to this party because the invitation didn’t say it’s formal au:**

This is just his luck. The one time Zayn decides that maybe it’s okay to not be so impeccably dressed, that maybe if he goes along and dresses a little silly for the company party his coworkers will stop calling him things like snazzy pants during the workweek, that maybe it’s ok to let loose a bit in the holiday spirit, it turns out he’s missed the memo that this is a formal event.

 

 _‘I can’t really leave and drive an hour home and an hour back just to change or can I?’_ he thinks to himself while trying to be as invisible as possible in the corner of the room. As invisible as one can get in a bright red, wooly sweater complete with a scene of Santa’s sleigh and working fairly lights amidst sports coats, ties, and holiday dresses that is.

 

It’s not working too well. He’s tossed back at least a whole bottle’s worth of wine to ease the pain, but people keep coming up to him, and if they aren’t outright teasing, they hide their distaste poorly. Larry, that Zayn always found to be a dick anyway, has come by at least 5 times already with some new insult to throw Zayn’s way. He’s just about to say fuck it and make his exit when he hears a sweet familiar cackle. Zayn looks over to where he heard the sound coming from, and sure enough, there’s Niall.

 

Perfect, sunshiny, Irish Niall, who cleans up even nicer than Zayn most days in endless Brooks Brothers or Burberry and even Versace. Niall who talks loud, laughs louder, and loves people the loudest. Who is neat and kind and far too good for this hellhole but never goes anywhere. Niall, who Zayn is probably very much in love with. Niall, who is also, _thank God_ , wearing a silly Christmas sweater. Even from his corner, Zayn can see the red brighten Niall’s cheeks as their coworkers take the piss at him. It’s adorable. He wonders if the rest of Niall’s body is flushed like that as well but shuts those thoughts down quickly because the last thing he needs is a hard-on to go with his sweater.

 

Niall must feel Zayn’s eyes boring into him because seconds later, he’s spotted Zayn wallowing in his own humiliation and walks quickly over to join him.

 

“Whatta buncha shit eh?” he says in lieu of a greeting shaking his head. “You and I are always the best-lookin’ ones here and I reckon same’s true tonight. This dumb lot’s just jealous.”

 

“I dunno mate, your sweater is literally a small alarm system with all those jingle bells,” Zayn replies with a nose-scrunched grin.

 

Niall lets out one of his deep belly laughs. “Mate, look down. Yours is covered in twinkle lights.” He cackles again before putting on a very serious face and adding, “Look Zayn man, I’m saying this because I love you, but we look absolute bonkers tonight.”

 

They look at each other solemnly for a moment and then burst into laughter so intense it brings tears to Zayn’s eyes. He lets the buzz he’s started to build try to keep this up all night. He gives Niall one of his best smolders before continuing. “Well I guess we’ll be the only ones mad enough to stick with each other tonight.”

 

Later that night- after more drinks and being partners for every game and finding themselves under randomly placed mistletoe- when Niall is throwing his twinkling sweater to the ground and replacing all the places it had covered with open-mouthed kisses, Zayn thinks that maybe dressing down isn’t so bad after all.

 

 

 

**you keep coming into the store I work at to buy wreaths, what are you doing with all of these wreaths? au:**

**_12 December 2014_ **

 

"Hello! Welcome to Anne's Green Thumb! Poinsettias are 30% off! I'll be with you soon," Eleanor calls out when she hears the front bell ring. She only stays in the back watering orchids a short while longer, but when she gets to the front, the customer has a large stack of wreaths in their arms so high she can't even see their face.

 

"I know this is a bit peculiar love, but I really don't want to have to put these down and pick ‘em up again, so could you get me wallet out my back pocket?"

 

Eleanor laughs and obliges, sliding the credit card he humorously describes to her as if it wasn't the only one in there. She slides his wallet back into his pocket, taking a moment this time to admire the shape of his ass in his skinny jeans. She wishes him a very merry Christmas as he walks out the door and giggles to herself when she spies out the window and sees him almost fall over from his tower of evergreen.

 

**_13 December 2014_ **

 

"Welcome to Anne's Green Thumb! I'll be with you as soon as I can-and poinsettias are 30% off!" Eleanor habitually replies to jingle of the door. She shoves the last few bites of her lunch into her mouth, clocks back in quickly, and moves to the front of the store. Just like the day before, she's met by a small stack of Christmas wreaths instead of a human face, though this time she can just see a bit of hair poking over the top. It reminds her of a cinnamon roll.

 

He must hear her walking up because he greets her with, "Hello friend, as you can see, today I thought ahead. I took out my card and put it on the counter already."

 

Eleanor can hear the smirk behind his sharp northern accent and can't help but let out a huge laugh. "Ya know, I'll still have to put it back into your wallet when we're done here."

 

"Fuck," he responds elegantly. "Sorry babe."

 

"That's alright," Eleanor glances down at his credit card, "Mr. Tomlinson. Anything for my favorite customer," she says, unintentionally offering him a bright smile he can't see.

 

"Please, call me Louis."

 

"Well, that's you settled, Louis," she tells him, placing his card back in his wallet and tucking it into his pocket once again. "Merriest of Christmases to you!"

 

**_15 December 2014_ **

 

Eleanor is typically not a fan of Mondays. She spends a good portion of them going back and forth between the greenhouses out back and the store, bringing in all the plants Anne marked as ready on Sunday- the one day the store is closed. Today however, she finds herself smiling and humming Christmas carols as she hauls in poinsettias, daphnes, Christmas roses, and all kinds of holly and evergreens. She knows it's because of the possibility of a particular fan of wreaths coming in, not that she would admit that to anyone. She also certainly wouldn't admit to moving the wreaths to a spot only accessible by the customer-restricted ladder.

 

Sure enough, when the front door bells twinkle that afternoon and she yells out, "Hey! Welcome to Anne's Green Thumb! I'll be up soon," a now familiar voice hollers back, "What- no sale on poinsettias?"

 

“Well,” Eleanor laughs as she emerges to the front of the store, “we’re regular Scrooges around here and we took them off sale to scam those desperate folks shopping so close to Christmas Day. But, while I have a feeling you’re not here for one, I may be able to sell you a poinsettia on sale if it’s that important to you.”

Louis laughs like it’s burst out of him, with his eyes closed and his hand over his mouth. Eleanor ignores how it makes her heart beat faster. “I guess I’m just predictable. I also think I need a bit of help getting them this time round.”

 

Eleanor turns down the row quickly since she can feel her cheeks turn a bright shade of pink. Finally getting to see him face to face is even more incredible than she expected. He’s got cutting cheekbones, just the right amount of stubble and the brightest blue eyes with a look in them like a child about to steal some cookies.

 

“So how many wreaths do you need then?” she asks in a quiet voice, trying to not give away how much she wants to sing at the top of her lungs.

 

He only takes two this time, playing a diva like each of the nearly identical wreaths Eleanor reaches for to take down for him is completely wrong. At one point she laughs so hard she nearly falls off the ladder.

 

On his way out the door, Louis turns around and asks, “Wait, so how about one of those specially on sale poinsettias?” He leaves with a wreath around each arm and a half-price poinsettia in his hands.

 

**_16 December 2014_ **

****

The front bell rings, but before Eleanor can begin her introduction, Louis rattles a variation of it off for her. “WELCOME TO ANNE’S GREEN THUMB!” he booms, “WHERE OUR GORGEOUS EMPLOYEES WILL BE UP IN A MINUTE AND POINSETTIAS ARE ONLY ON SALE TO ESPECIALLY IMPRESSIVE LOOKING MEN!”

 

Eleanor walks up, rolling her eyes. “Let’s get you some wreaths,” she chuckles. Today she doesn’t give him a chance to play diva, tossing the first seven she grabs at him, laughing as he runs around to catch them, getting one with his head, right around his neck.

 

He wiggles his eyebrows play suggestively when she reaches into his deep sweatpant pockets for his wallet earning himself a solid slap on the shoulder that both of them just laugh at.

****

**_17 December 2014_ **

****

Today, Louis comes in with a shout of “Oh Honey, I’m hooooome!”

 

Eleanor can literally feel the warmth in heart trickle to her fingers and toes. She runs to the front and puts on a thick false southern accent. “My dearest Louis, how was your day darling? I missed you something terrible,” she says, hoping something about her voice doesn’t give away how true that actually is.

 

“Why my sweet-,” Louis starts in the same awful accent before he realizes that he’s never gotten Eleanor’s name.

 

“Eleanor,” she fills in for him with a giggle.

 

“Why my sweet El, my day was lovely, but nothing compared to how I feel now with you.”

 

They laugh and talk about everything under the sun for the next few hours, sometimes as a southern couple, sometimes very seriously about getting to see their families for the holidays.

 

It takes Eleanor another hour to realize Louis didn’t buy a single wreath that day.

 

**_18 December 2014_ **

****

Nearly a week after his first visit, it hits Eleanor how strange it is that Louis has bought so many wreaths. He’s already been there for about an hour, was waiting for her outside the door when she came in to open the store. He had brought coffee and a bag of breakfast pastries for the both of them, looking sleepy and soft decked out in bright red scrubs. They currently were repotting Glory of the Snows and Witch Hazels. Well, Eleanor was. Louis was half dozing off, half sprinkling bits of soil on the floor when he thought she wasn’t looking.

 

“Louis?” she asks.

 

“Hm?”

 

“What are you buying all the wreaths for?”

 

He just laughs and shrugs. “Not too important,” he says as way of an answer. “I don’t know about you though El, but I think this Bitch Hazel is throwing dirt on the ground.”

 

**_19 December 2014_ **

****

When Eleanor comes in for her shift, there’s a wreath lying on the counter with a note on top. She can feel her cheeks burning with her grin as she walks a bit too quickly to read it.

 

_El-_

_Don’t wreath me all alone this weekend- date?_

_Louis_

He finishes off the note with his phone number, and Eleanor can’t help but spin around the store clutching the wreath to her chest. She doesn’t even think about waiting to text him, pulling out her phone and sends him-

 

_i’d love a date :)_

_on one condition_

_tell me what the wreaths are for ;)_

It takes a few hours for Louis to send a response, and when Eleanor opens her phone there’s a picture message of a hospital corridor, with almost every door featuring an Anne’s Green Thumb wreath. It’s accompanied by a text that reads

 

_they’re for my patients… and a few others…. I liked the excuse to come see you (: soooo Saturday night?_

 

**we're both on all the same holiday across the continent flights next to each other au meets I fell asleep and you amused my kid and the stewardess mistook us for a couple au meets fall asleep on your seat partner's shoulder au meets first time flier next to a regular au... all the flight AUs!!!!**

_LHR to LAX- 11h30m_

_Z_

 

Zayn still can't believe this. He's the one who's a single father for the first year. Doniya and her husband are the rich ones. And the only ones who don't live in the UK. But his mother and sisters and aunts all loved the idea of going to visit them in Los Angeles for the Christmas hols. So now he finds himself strapping into a plane for the first time, with a year and a half year old in his lap. His heart is pounding like mad as he looks out the window and imagines what it looks like when they're hundreds of meters above the ground. He’s surprised he hasn’t woken up Mahi from his shaking. He thinks he might throw up before they even leave the ground.

He’s shocked out of his staring out the window when his seatmate comes and sits by him. Zayn is shocked into a new stupor by how gorgeous this person is. He’s got broad shoulders and deep brown eyes and a quiff that Zayn wants to tangle his fingers in.

 

He looks over at Zayn and gives him a huge smile that crinkles his eyes. “You alright? I know it’s not my place but you look right terrified mate,” he says and if Zayn wasn’t so impressed with this guy’s appearance he would be proper embarrassed.

 

“Well, yeah I’ve never exactly flown before and ummm I’m afraid the window might break and I’ll get sucked out if I’m being honest,” Zayn replies, not exactly sure why he’s being so honest with this stranger, no matter how cute he is. It’s probably all the adrenaline from fear coursing through him.

 

The man laughs with his head thrown back showing off his long neck. Even if the plane doesn’t crash, Zayn is going to die of a heart attack by the time the flight ends. “I promise you that won’t happen mate, but if it would make you feel better not to look out, I’d be happy to switch seats with you,” he offers and Zayn wishes he had his will prepared. This guy is terribly handsome _and_ incredibly kind. Zayn is going to die and Mahi will be left fatherless and with nothing to her name.

 

Somehow he does find his voice enough to say, “Yeah, thanks man,” and stands up slowly as not to wake Mahi from her sleep.

 

“No problem, I’m Liam by the way,” the man says as he switches over to the window seat.

 

“Zayn,” he responds in a tight voice, probably going to stay tense until he has his feet on the ground in LA. “And this is Mahi,” he adds, gently lifting her up because apparently he’s decided that he trusts this man. He might be the last person he ever speaks to, he might as well.

 

“Nice to meet both of you,” Liam says with another sweet smile. “Now Zayn,” he continues as the stewardess begins to give the safety information. “I feel that as a regular flier it’s my duty to inform you that the plane will do like one or two loop-de-loops once we take off, but then it’s smooth the rest of the time.” Zayn possibly shits himself.

 

After being airborne about 45 minutes Zayn figures out that Liam was messing with him and reaches over to give him a slap on the arm. Liam bursts into a huge fit of giggles, lifting his shoulders with it, like he’s been holding that in for a long amount of time. “I’m sorry mate, you just looked like you’d seen a ghost when I told you, it was too good. I really am sorry.”

 

Zayn feels himself smile and relax despite himself. He and Liam start talking, and Zayn learns that Liam is a music producer and is spending his Christmas with the family he’s made of friends there. He’ll be coming home for an actual family holiday around New Year’s. Zayn tells him about how he is being pulled into this LA holiday by his family but that he’s secretly excited to be leaving the island for the first time. They talk about their sisters and they laugh at the funny stories Zayn tells about Mahi. It feels like they’ve been best friends forever and Zayn basically forgets he’s on the plane.

 

_L_

 

Liam hasn’t stood up in over 4 hours and now he can’t. Well he could, but Zayn had fallen asleep in the middle of his sentence about 30 minutes ago and his head quickly lolled down on Liam’s shoulder. He didn’t have it in him to jostle him awake. Liam is sure that sleeping through some of what must be a terrifying experience for Zayn is probably best for him. It doesn’t hurt that Zayn is one of the most gorgeous people Liam has ever laid eyes on. He looks down and can see how his eyelashes fan across his cheeks. Liam allows himself a quilty pleasure and takes a deep sniff at Zayn’s soft hair. He smells like cigarette smoke and coffee and cinnamon. He starts to move to run his hand through it, but changes his mind, instead opting to wrap his arm around Zayn’s shoulders just to get a small change in position. He settles his upper body against Liam’s chest and Liam suddenly wants to kiss him.

 

Honestly, he’s wanted to kiss him since he laid eyes on him when they sat down, and even more so since chatting and getting to know Zayn over the past few hours. An unexpected gargle pulls Liam out of his stupor of fantasy. Mahi has decided to wake up and is beginning to look uncomfortable in the unfamiliar setting. Liam acts on instinct when it looks like her face is contorting to cry and begins to stroke her hair and make the same little cooing noises he uses on his friend Niall’s son. It works for a short while, but she starts to wiggle her tiny limbs and make the same almost crying face. Liam has always hated being stuck with a crying baby on planes and in a panic picks her up and holds her up to his chest. He lightly pats her back and begins to hum a little lullaby to her. She’s making little sniffling sounds and is probably drooling all over his shirt, but she’s calm and Zayn is still asleep and Liam finds that he’s really quite happy with the whole thing.

 

Zayn is still knocked out another hour later while Liam plays with Mahi in his lap, bouncing her on her knees and making her giggle with silly faces. A stewardess comes up out of nowhere with a syrupy smile on her face. “I know it may not be my place, but the rest of the staff and I think you three make a really adorable family.” She’s gone before Liam can decipher what she means and correct her.

 

_Z_

Zayn wakes up down one baby and up a blanket on his lap and jacket laid over his upper body. He sits up to find Mahi fast asleep in Liam’s arms with Liam watching Frozen on the plane video with endearing intensity. Zayn lightly taps his shoulder to grab his attention. “You can… _let her go_ ,” he jokes with a waggle of his eyebrows. Liam turns bright red.

 

“Mahi was the one who suggested it really,” he says with a wink. Zayn laughs as he takes the sleeping baby back into his arms.

 

“Sorry about that by the way, falling asleep on you and all,” Zayn says, too embarrassed to look Liam in the eye. “Was she good for you?”

 

“It’s no problem at all,” Liam says and it sounds like he really means it. “And yeah she was great. Actually, um…” Liam trails off pulling at his shirt collar like he’s become hot and uncomfortable.

 

“Actually what?”

 

“Well, the stewardess came by while you were asleep and I was playing with Mahi and she, well she said the whole staff thinks that we’re a cute family.” Liam is practically whispering and his face and neck are the color of cranberries by the end of it.

 

Zayn can’t help but giggle and turn a bit red himself. “Um, I think this is yours?” he says, holding up the jacket he woke up in, fully avoiding the fact that people mistook him and Liam as a couple and how much he likes that.

 

Liam takes his jacket back with a shy, quick movement and turns back to Frozen without looking at Zayn. Zayn smiles to himself and turns on an episode of Doctor Who he finds in the plane menu, but makes sure to hang his hand on Liam’s side of their shared armrest. His heartbeat basically doubles minutes later when Liam entangles his own fingers with Zayn’s.

 

_L_

 

They’re nearing the end of their flight and Liam is not ready to be out of Zayn’s company yet, or maybe ever. They held hands through most of the flight, talked and laughed together, and took turns holding Mahi when their arms started to fall asleep. Liam pulls out a bag of cookies he had stored in his backpack as the pilot comes on to let them know need to buckle up to land soon. Liam figures it’s now or never and when he sees Zayn eyeing the bag, turns to him with a smile. “You can have one, _if_ you give me your phone number in return.”

 

Zayn laughs, and grabs a cookie. He leans in very close to Liam’s face and says, “was planning on it anyway babe.” Liam’s face spreads into a smile making Zayn giggle. He pops the cookie into his mouth in one. He gets frosting all around his mouth in the process and Liam naturally reaches up to wipe the frosting above Zayn’s lip with his thumb, and freezes when Zayn stops chewing and looks up at him through his eyelashes. A smirk spreads across his face and he gives Liam a small nod. Liam’s whole body races with nerves but he slowly finishes wiping away the icing and then sucks it off his thumb. Zayn lets out a little gasp but stays perfectly still. Liam brings both of his hands to the sides of Zayn’s face and leans into to close the gap.

 

It’s perfect and cliché and a million fireworks go off in Liam’s head as Zayn’s soft lips brush against his. He tastes like smoke and cookies and airplane peanuts when Liam licks his tongue inside Zayn’s mouth.

 

_Z_

They kiss until the plane lands and a little after that too, and Zayn is too wrapped up in it to be scared. They laugh like maniacs when they find out they’re sat next to each other for their flight home as well and if Zayn asks if Liam wants to meet up while they’re in LA, well it’s just because Mahi might miss her new friend.

 

 

**i get voted best decorated house of the neighborhood every Christmas but you just moved in and are giving me a run for my money competition au**

‘ _Louis Tomlinson is going down_ ,’ is Eleanor’s first thought when she opens her eyes a few mornings after Thanksgiving. His staging of skeletons in different scenarios was actually quite good Halloween décor and while his sabotage of her front-yard pumpkin patch with a family this Thanksgiving wasn’t fair, his set-up of the first Thanksgiving legend she must admit was quite clever. Christmas however, was to be hers. It had been hers for years, just like Halloween and Thanksgiving were before Louis had moved in, and there was no way she was going to give up the best yard vote for her favorite and best holiday.

 

She's already been outside putting lights on the house for over an hour when she hears a shout. It's from across the street and 3 houses down but it's still bright and clear and obviously evil. "Ya ready to lose 3rd holiday in a row Smelleanor?"

 

Eleanor rolls her eyes hard enough that hopefully from this far he still sees it. "I went easy on you the last 2 times bastard! This one's mine!"

 

She can hear his sharp cackle. "Alright, whatever babe." 

 

God she hates him. 

 

She spends another 20 minutes or so laying out lights and when she moves across the roof to go back down the ladder, it's gone. She has to call the firemen to help her down and the next morning she wakes up with a newer, nicer ladder sitting in her front yard with a package of Oreos tied onto it with a bow. She throws them away. 

 

She goes to take her dog for a walk that afternoon and sees Louis working on his own lights. "You're welcome," he greets her smugly. 

 

"One of your lines is uneven," she says instead of thank you, just to get in his head. She watches him adjust it in minimal increments multiple times, laughing quietly to herself. To cause him extra trouble, she pulls out a few lights just about halfway out so that the whole line wouldn't turn on when he plugs it in. 

 

The next couple days are spent by Eleanor decorating, pranking, and being pranked. She comes home to her fairy light sculpture reindeer humping each other next to a plate of frosted dick-shaped sugar cookies, so she uses her nice new ladder to climb on Louis roof and rearranged on of his strip of lights into a dick too. She starts the next battle by stealing his generator that filled up his front yard blow-up snowmen. She returns it with a box of blueberry cheesecake muffins after he takes away her multiple outlet box.

 

Eventually, she finds herself enjoying it a bit too much. She catches herself eating the treats Louis leaves every time he causes trouble one night and pulls out a few of the cookies to save before throwing the rest away on principle. They've also started to have true, nice conversations between their insults, laughing more than she has in ages. Louis even cries when talking about his family one night and she willingly chooses to ignore it. They've even started to help one another clean up from some of their worse pranks and they're fairly evenly matched in decor a few days before the vote. 

 

She driving home late after a particularly draining day at work when she barely registers that Louis' lights are different but she hadn't done anything to them. She pulls into her own front driveway and walks a bit down the street to get a clearer view. She laughs to herself when she reads that he's written _Dinner tonight?_ in huge letters of fairy lights. She grabs her fake spray snow and races up to her own roof. 

 

When she's done, she touches up her makeup and hair and makes herself walk instead of run down the street. She knocks on his door and when Louis opens it, he's decked in a sweater and bow tie, and amazing smells drift out. He's got an uncontainable grin on his face, and she just says "Now look what you've made me do," gesturing towards her own home. He laughs when he sees what she wrote with the fake snow.

 

_YES_

 

 

**ruined Christmas dinner au:**

Niall has been working all day, and he’s finally ready for Christmas dinner. He’s cleaned his whole home immaculately, meticulously placed table settings and decorations, and spent hours preparing the meats and all the sides. It’s the first Christmas absolutely everyone will be spending at his home, and he needs it to be perfect. His father, brother’s family, many of his cousins, most of the LIC, the humes, Harry and Louis, and Liam and Sophia will all be there. All together in his massive dining room, eating food he’s prepared, being aesthetically pleased by the décor he’s decided on and set. However, none of their opinions or enjoyment carry as much weight as that of Zayn.

 

Zayn, his best mate that he’s been in love with forever. Zayn, who he’s been dating for nearly a year now. Zayn, who has beautiful skin, thick dark hair, and deep eyes like dark amber. Zayn who is perfect and is spending Christmas with Niall.

 

Niall pulls at his hair, fidgets with his sweater, and reties his bowtie 10 times. He knows he’s more anxious than he needs to be, as Zayn has seen him at his absolute worst, but he really needs this to special for both of them. He hopes it’s the first of many holidays spent together.

 

He gets the table laden with turkey, roasted ducks, and huge dishes of mashed potatoes, plum pudding, green beans, corn, and boats of gravy in between the properly arranged place settings, garland, golden ribbons, and vases filled with red ornaments. He’s got a chocolate lava cake started in the oven and is finally satisfied with his hair, wearing it soft and down, with his brunette quite obvious, as he knows Zayn loves it.

 

That’s the last time anything goes right really.

 

People start arriving right after he spritzes on cologne. The first person to ring the bell is Eoghan, barging in when Niall opens the door with multiple cases of beer and ale in his arms. He’s followed in by Laura and Ash and now Niall can see Deo and Martin getting out of their car and walking towards his stoop. They’ve got a platter of some sort and at least 2 bottles of wine. Niall looks a bit further down the street and sees Josh and Dan parking between his neighbor’s cars. He doesn’t remember ever inviting them, but isn’t too worried about it. That is until he squints a bit and can see John and Sandy in the backseat as well. _How many people did he invite that he forgot about?_

 

It turns out that there are _far_ many more people who come to his home for a holiday do than he accounted for. It seems that _all_ of his cousins and the _entire_ LIC could come after all, and he apparently forgot about inviting the Humes with Alaia-Mai, the Fletchers including Buzz, the Winstons who also bring their dog, Calum, Ashton, Luke, Michael, David, Caroline, Lidia, Mark, Julian, Jamie, John, Paul, Simon, Lou, Lux, Adam, and even Bas, Emmanuella, and . People have been piling into his home all afternoon, some planned for, many not, but still no Zayn.

 

Luckily, Bobby brought an extra turkey and chickens from his position as a butcher, and that everyone has brought food and drink in with them because he’s definitely not prepare enough for this many folks and he’s had to pull out multiple tables and every dining set he owns. He’s still not sure it’s going to be enough. People are practically pressed together to be able to all fit on his first floor and his kitchen counters are overflowing with trays and plates and dishes. Everyone is shouting and already have started drinking too much, and Niall is on the verge of an anxiety attack when Zayn finally comes in.

 

He’s obviously shocked by the crowd, but his eyes light up when he spots Niall, he manages to push his way through the masses quite quickly, and immediately pulls Niall into a soft kiss. “I didn’t know there was going to be so many people,” Zayn says, “I would’ve brought more to share.” He opens his bag to show Niall a small batch of Niall’s favorite samosas.

 

“Thanks babe,” Niall says, both about the samosas and calming him down. “And we’re definitely not sharing those.”

 

Zayn smiles with his nose scrunched up and his tongue behind his teeth. He’s got his hair styled up today and looks positively beautiful in a black button up and trousers. “How about we have a drink and a smoke on the back porch? It’s pretty full in here. They can all entertain each other for a bit, I want you to myself for a second.” There’s no way Niall can turn that down.

 

Once outside, the cold air bits at Niall’s skin a bit, but he’s far more relaxed with his bottle of Guinness, lazily trading kisses with Zayn that taste like his cigarette smoke and samosa ingredients. He’s beginning to think he is finally ready to go back inside and interact with everyone when a smell of smoke fills his nostrils that is much stronger than what Zayn’s cigarette is putting off and smells a bit like chocolate.

 

“Shit!” he shouts with realization, “The cake’s on fire!”

 

He runs into the house to see Bressie bent over the over, waving at the smoky air with a towel. Buzz, Theo, Lux, and Alai-Mai are all crying in the next room and Colin is barking up a storm. “Sorry mate,” Scott says, slapping him on the shoulder, _and when did he even get here?_ “We couldn’t hear the timer go off over all the talking and stuff. Good size group you got here- thanks for letting me be a part.”

 

Niall doesn’t respond. He thinks he’s about to cry. Smoke is still sitting in the air, the cake he spent a lot of time making is completely burnt, there are empty bottles and dirty plates all over the place, crumbs all on his floor, and he can already see at least one red wine stain on his nice carpet. Most of the food has already been eaten, and neither he nor Zayn got a bite. He didn’t get to have everyone sit down at his beautifully set table or give the speech he thought about giving on how thankful he is for all they mean to him, and even with a selfie stick they certainly won’t all fit in one selfie. Right now, he just wants to scream.

 

He’s about to do just that when he hears someone tapping on a glass with a fork and the room quiets down. He turns around to see Zayn standing on a chair (with his shoes off like the proper gentleman that he is), clearing his throat. “Umm, hi. I don’t think I’ve met all of you but I’m—“

 

“ZAYN!” almost everyone in the room calls out, causing Zayn to turn bright red, and Niall adds that to his new and growing list of why to stop speaking to all of them.

 

“Ok so I guess he’s mentioned me, but I just wanted to make sure we all let him know how much we appreciate and love him. He invited all of us into his home to celebrate a favorite holiday with him, getting it clean and beautiful and preparing great food for us. Niall, I’ve never met anyone with such a golden heart as yours, and I’m so glad I get a place in it, as I’m sure all of these people are too. To Niall!” Zayn finishes, raising his wine glass and flashing Niall a gorgeous smile. Everyone else in the room is raising their glasses and bottles and shouting out variations of cheers, love you, and a few special meaning Irish phrases. Now Niall really is crying.

 

Zayn steps down from the chair and walks over to Niall. “I know it’s not what you expected, but we all love you babe, especially me. Now let’s have a Merry Christmas.” Niall laughs at that, kissing Zayn and decides that next year to achieve the perfect Christmas all he needs is for Zayn to be there.

 

**Christmas proposal au:**

_Christmas, age 17_

 

“How’s my favorite grandson?!” Liam’s grandfather bellows when Zayn lets himself into Liam’s house. He’s met with a suffocating hug and kiss from Karen and Liam’s little cousins flock to him. Zayn has been coming to the Payne family Christmas for years now, and was Liam’s best friend, always at his side, years before that, so he’s basically another member of the family. Liam can’t even be a little bit mad that they probably all like Zayn more than him. He definitely gets where they’re coming from.

 

In fact, Liam realized he was full ass in love with Zayn at Christmas last year when he made the family laugh and sang Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas in his beautiful voice and helped them all forget the pain of it being the first holiday after one of Liam’s aunts had died. He’s fairly certain he was in love with him way before that and just hadn’t figured it out yet. This year, he’s picked out the perfect gift and plans on telling Zayn. He doesn’t know if Zayn feels the same way at all, but he does know that their friendship can handle it. Even so, something in his gut tells him he has no need to worry (or maybe he’s so nervous he’s gonna throw up. Hopefully it’s the first).

 

Later that night, after they’ve all stuffed their faces on turkey, potatoes, and pie, and Liam won the annual Payne Family (and Zayn) NERTS tournament, and they’ve been allowed to have some (or maybe a lot, because it’s Christmas) of Uncle Harry’s (who isn’t really Liam’s uncle, but Geoff’s weird, earthy friend since uni who brought enough pot and got the whole family, including Zayn and Liam, high at Christmas 2 years ago, and sings Joni Mitchell whenever someone asks to start carols) famous spiked hot chocolate, Zayn and Liam are lying on Liam’s twin bed with warm, full bellies and smiles on their faces. There’s hardly even an inch between them, and it makes Liam’s heart race.

 

“Leeyum?” Zayn asks, turning to lie on his side.

 

“Yeah?” Liam replies, also turning, breath catching when he realizes how close Zayn’s face is to his.

 

A mischevious smile grows on Zayn’s face. “Can we open presents now or what?”

 

Liam laughs, probably harder than he needs to, but he’s a little drunk and Zayn makes him so happy and so nervous too. “Ok mate, but give me mine first.”

 

Zayn reaches down under Liam’s bed (and _when did he find the time to hide that?_ ) and pulls out a box wrapped in the comic sections of old newspapers with a bright green bow tied around it, handing it over to Liam. His eyes are wide and he shakes his fists excitedly as he tells Liam to “open it open it open it!” Liam obliges, ripping the paper off as fast as he can. He pulls open the box to find at least 25 CDs inside, each featuring a title in Zayn’s writing with an accompanying cartoon. There are ones like “the songs I’ve played for you that you love and ask for all the time” that has a little cartoon Liam dancing, or “for when you’re sad” with a crying face on it. “I know it’s not much,” Zayn mumbles, “but I don’t know I thought it was, ya know, _you,_ and it took me awhile to do but anyway.”

 

“Zayn,” Liam says shaking his shoulders to get Zayn to look at him. “I love it. A whole lot. You’re so thoughtful and wonderful and the best friend I could have. I really love it.” ( _I really love you_ he thinks.) Zayn gives him a goofy, tongue in teeth grin, and it’s now or never Liam thinks. He rolls over and also pulls out a gift from under the bed. It’s two boxes wrapped in bright red paper tied with twine and jingle bells in the bow.

 

“This is impressive wrapping, Li, I don’t know if I can mess it up,” Zayn tells him with a smirk.

 

“Oh my god, leave me alone!” Liam says back smacking him on the arm. “Hurry up and open it before it’s next year already!”

 

Zayn frantically rips off the paper making them both laugh like fools, and then starts to look through the first box. It’s stuffed to the brim with his favorite things, like his favorite candy and a bottle of his favorite pop and the next edition of his favorite comic series. The second box is also stuffed, but this one is full of pictures of Liam and Zayn at different times in their life, ticket stubs from concerts and football games they went to together. There’s even little old army men and other random trinkets that would seem like junk to other people, but have some sort of special association to the two of them. Zayn is smiling like a maniac when he turns to Liam. “Mate, these are great, thanks, but like, what’s it all about?”

 

“Well,” Liam begins, taking a shaky breath to calm himself. “The first box is all made of your favorite things, and the second is a bunch of my favorite things about us together. Zayn, it’s because, well, it’s because you’re _my_ favorite thing and being with _you_ is my favorite thing and… and I think I’m proper in love with you mate.” Liam closes his eyes so he doesn’t have to see Zayn’s immediate reaction.

 

He stays very still and quiet for a moment and Liam is beginning to think that maybe his gut feeling was just needing to throw up. He should’ve expected this, he should’ve known that Zayn would-

 

He has no idea how he could have known that Zayn was going give him their first kiss for Christmas.

 

_Christmas, age 18_

“I can’t believe your mom is letting us stay in here together,” Zayn says from his place on the bed, dragging his eyes down Liam’s body as he changes into his pajamas.

 

“Actually, she didn’t. She thinks you’re sleeping on the couch bed next door,” Liam says, making sure to stretch more than necessary as he pulls on his red henley and makes a small show of not having boxers on when he puts on his joggers slung low on his hips. What can he say, Zayn is watching, and it’s Christmas. He adds a necklace of twine and jingle bells around his neck before jumping onto the bed next to Zayn.

 

“God Liam, we’re gonna get in so much trouble. And what the hell are you wearing?”

 

“Don’t worry about that quite yet,” Liam says smacking Zayn’s cheek with a kiss. “Now. I want presents.”

 

As now seems to be tradition, Zayn reaches under the bed and pulls out Liam’s gift. It’s a large, thin envelope with a simple stick on green bow stuck to the front. Liam opens it very carefully and slides out a beautiful sketch of the back view of him and Zayn laughing and holding hands walking down their street. On the back is a heartfelt, handwritten note. “Zayn, this is incredible.”

 

“Thanks. It’s based off a picture Wali snapped of us when we took them for the park and ice cream a while back. Happy Christmas and Anniversary, babe. I love you.” Zayn says, leaning up and giving Liam a deep kiss. “Alright, now where’s my gift? And do I get to find out why you have this crazy necklace on?”

 

Liam can’t help but laugh. “Do you remember my gift last year?”

 

“Of course. Best gift of my life, honestly.”

 

“Do you remember how it was wrapped?”

 

“Oh yeah, in red right? With a twine ribbon and jingle bells and I gave you the piss for it and—“ Zayn trails off as realization strikes him.

 

“Yeah, I thought well, I could stick to similar wrapping this year as well, and umm,” Liam says, reaching under the bed. “Your Christmas present is uh well, it’s me. You get to unwrap me.” Liam holds up what he pulled out from under the bed. It’s a bottle of lube and condoms with a bow stuck on them. “Zayn, I love you, and I’m ready for this.”

 

Zayn wastes no time showing how ready he is for it too.

 

_Christmas, age 20_

“You’ve got to stay quiet babe,” Liam whispers with a devilish smirk. “Be good for me,” he continues punctuating each word with a deep thrust in Zayn. He dives down to suck a bruise on Zayn’s neck, drawing a flustered moan from Zayn that reverberates around the fingers Liam has stuck in his mouth. He giggles lightly at that, which earns him a bite on those same fingers.

 

They’re sweaty and tangled in a mess of blankets and pillows on the living room floor of Liam’s parents home. Karen discovered over a visit this summer that trying to keep them apart wasn’t really working, so they’ve been moved to a palette in the center of the house, which is why they have to stay so quiet as they move together in their 3rd round that night. Zayn comes when Liam also adds a few quick strokes of his dick, sucking down hard on Liam’s fingers and squeezing tight around his cock, making Liam come right alongside him. They ride the waves of their orgasms out together and stay pressed together after, chest-to-chest, lazily kissing until Liam finds the energy to pull out and get them something to clean up with.

 

Zayn is giggling at him when he comes back.

 

“What’s so funny, babe?” Liam asks in a whisper, laying back down next Zayn. Zayn reaches over and pulls off a playing card that’s apparently got stuck to Liam’s sweaty back.

 

“We may be better at this than we were 2 years ago, but some things never change,” he laughs, holding up the card for Liam to see. Liam laughs, remembering their first time, all clumsy and they came too fast, but how perfect it still was.

 

“Yeah, you’re not getting rid of me anytime soon,” he says pinching Zayn’s side.

 

“That’s what I was afraid of,” Zayn says, but it’s all in jest. He practically breathes it out and has a small smile and gentle look in his eyes like Liam is the whole world. “I guess it’s a good thing I got you Christmas gifts then.” He sits up and lifts the lid to the ottoman, pulling out a few small boxes. “It’s no under-the-bed,” he starts, “but I figured it would have to do.”

 

Liam laughs as he tears into the presents. He sits there in shock once he’s opened all the small boxes. Zayn has given him a gorgeous new watch, complete with a “Love you Leeyum” engraving, and a huge stack of envelopes.

 

“They each have a letter in them, I wrote one a day for you since last Christmas,” Zayn explains, earning himself a deep kiss from Liam.

 

Liam pulls his gift for Zayn (wrapped in red, tinsel, and bells, of course) out of a drawer in the entertainment center and hands it to him with a full body blush. “Just remember that we are definitely meant to be together,” he says as Zayn begins to unwrap it. They both crack up when Zayn pulls out a bottle of cologne and a new watch engraved with “I’ll spend all my time with you.”

“I did also give you those letters,” Zayn says with a smirk, “so I do believe I win.”

 

“Oh not quite yet you don’t,” Liam grins, pulling open another drawer and pulling out an envelope of his own, this one very small and thin. He hands it over to Zayn with a nervous smile, staring intensely as Zayn uses nimble fingers to tear it open. He tips the envelope to his hand and out slides a shiny new key.

 

“Oh my god, Leeyum, does this mean what I think it does?”

 

“Move in with me?” Liam asks.

 

Zayn answers him with a passionate and barely quiet 4th round.

 

_Christmas, age 22_

It’s horribly early on Christmas morning, but Liam can’t get back to sleep. He can hardly focus on anything but having to wait for cooking and eating and a NERTS tournament and family time and even sex to give Zayn his Christmas present. It’s the best present Liam has ever had to give, and it’s keeping him more wired than the strong cup of coffee sitting on the table in front of him. So wired that he doesn’t notice Zayn come up behind him and jumps as Zayn wraps his arms around Liam’s shoulders, kissing the top of his head.

 

“You alright, babe? You’ve been out of bed a long time.” Zayn asks, kissing Liam behind his ear and down his neck.

 

“Perfectly fine,” Liam lies, feeling the small red box, tied with twine and a single small jingle bell burn a whole in the pocket of his joggers. “Well,” he starts again with a deep breath, “I’d be much better off if I could give you your Christmas present right now.”

 

“Well, no one’s stopping you,” Zayn replies with a silly wiggle of his eyebrows, and Liam pulls him into a tight kiss, grabs his hand, and then pulls him quickly up the stairs. “Leeyum, what are you doing? We’re going to wake everyone up!” he whisper-shouts, but is clearly too excited to see what Liam has up his sleeve. ( _He really has no idea_ , Liam thinks.)

 

They stop running when they’ve reached Liam’s childhood bedroom, left completely unoccupied since Zayn and Liam were moved downstairs. Zayn falls down to lie on the bed and catch his breath. “What we up here for?” Zayn asks with a yawn. “My gift hidden under the bed or summat?”

 

“Something like that,” Liam replies, taking a very deep breath and kneeling down next to where Zayn has his own legs dangling off the bed.

 

“You brought me up to your childhood bedroom to give me a Christmas blowjob?” Zayn laughs. “That’s a very interesting—”

 

“No you twat,” Liam interrupts with a giggle. “I brought you up here because it’s the place where all this started, you and me. It’s where we had our first goofy conversations about superheroes and our favorite footballers and it’s where we helped talk each other through some of the hardest parts of our lives. It’s where we first kissed and it’s where we made love for the first time; it’s where you first gave me your heart and I gave you mine. That’s why,” Liam says, reaching into his pocket pulling out the little box, “I chose it as the place where I want to give you forever. Zayn Javaad Malik, will you do the absolute honor of marrying me?” He slides off the twine and bell, opening the box to reveal a simple platinum band, but Zayn reaches for it with happy tears and shaking hands like it’s a rare gem.

 

“Yes, a million times yes Li,” Zayn replies, slipping it onto his finger, grabbing Liam’s face and giving him an impassioned kiss.

 

“Merry Christmas babe.”

**ice-skating au:**

“Babe, are you sure this is a good idea?” Louis asks him for the one-hundredth time in the past minute.

 

“We’re doing Christmas in New York Lou! We have to ice skate at Rockefeller or we’ll have to spend eternity in limbo or something!” Harry says, lacing up his rented skates. “Don’t be so worrisome.” He taps the side of Louis’ leg, placing a skate by his foot. “Now lift your foot up so I can tie you up.”

 

“Oh I know of a much more exciting way we can put that phrase to use,” Louis says with a smirk and cackle. Harry can’t help but laugh himself. He’s married to an absolute buffoon. He says so out loud, earning himself a light slap to the head. “Ah yes, but I’m _your_ buffoon and don’t act like you wouldn’t be completely lost without me,” Louis retorts, standing up and making his way shakily toward the ice. Harry follows after him and knows he’s right, not that he would admit that to him right now.

 

“I don’t know, I’d probably have a much wider culinary exposure, and not have to clean up so much and do less laundry,” Harry teases, as he and Louis get used to the ice under their skates. “And you’re not really all that funny,” Harry says, going for the kill and skates away as fast he can. Louis, of course, takes off hot on his heels.

 

“Take that shit back you bastard!” he shouts back, ignoring the fact that there are children skating near them. They are speeding around the rink with poor balance and not much practice on ice rinks, and it’s inevitable when Louis slams into Harry and they fall to the ground. “See what I mean? Even after all this time you’re falling for me,” Louis says after he rolls off of Harry.

 

Harry can’t help but laugh at that. “I guess it does look like I’m stuck with you,” he responds, lacing their fingers together between them. “We should probably get back up and keep skating.”

 

“Nah, I think we’re meant to be down here. I signed us up for a couple’s obstacle course thinking we’d be running through bounce houses and shit, but instead they’re just making us be the obstacles,” Louis begins to ramble.

 

“Oh just shut up and kiss me you damn buffoon,” Harry interrupts. Louis obliges and they decide that this version of skating is probably the best.

 


End file.
